Alarm detector switch assembly

ABSTRACT

A detector switch assembly for use in an alarm circuit includes a set of cooperating connecting members specifically adapted to mount on a door or window structure or the like to sense unauthorized movement thereof. Each connecting member includes a similar outer support housing with interchangeable male and female conductive connector blocks releasably inserted into separate compartments in the housings with each block being reorientable in each housing relative to the disposition of that housing. A male plug projects from a face of the block in one of the housings and is adapted to releasably insert into an aligned inwardly extending jack hole in the block in the other housing to establish an electrical connection between the connecting members which connection is broken when one of the connecting members is moved away from the other. A dummy connecting member is releasably received by one of the set of connecting members to permit use of the door or window without actuation of the alarm circuit.

United States Patent McDaniels, deceased [54] ALARM DETECTOR SWITCHASSEMBLY [52] Cl. ..200/6L93, 339/19, 340/276, 339/31 R [51] Int. Cl...l-I0lh 3/02 [58] Field of Search ...200/6l.93, 163', 340/276, 274;339/19, 22 R, 31 R, 252 P, 154 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 996,279 6/1911 Robinson ..340/276 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 288,743 4/1928 Great Britain ..200/6l.93

Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Assistant Examiner-M. GinsburgAttorney-Reilly and Lewis [15] 3,684,846 51 Aug. 15, 1972 I 57 ABSTRACTA detector switch assembly for use in an alarm circuit includes a set ofcooperating connecting members specifically adapted to mount on a dooror window structure or the like to sense unauthorized movement thereof.Each connecting member includes a similar outer support housing withinterchangeable male and female conductive connector blocks releasablyinserted into separate compartments in the housings with each blockbeing reorientable in each housing relative to the disposition of thathousing. A male plug projects from a face of the block in one of thehousings and is adapted to releasably insert into an aligned inwardlyextending jack hole in the block in the other housing to establish anelectrical connection between the connecting members which connection isbroken when one of the connecting members is moved away from the other.A dummy connecting member is releasably received by one of the set ofconnecting members to permit use of the door or window without actuationof the alarm circuit.

1 1 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAus 15 m2 INVENTOR Tho 9sMcDqniels BY V/ 166i; zw fiu u; ATTORNEYS ALARM DETECTOR SWITCH ASSEMBLYThis invention relates to novel and improved alarm detector switchapparatus for anti-theft alarm systems and the like which isparticularly suitable for detecting the unauthorized movement ofwindows, doors and the like.

One approach presently in use in detecting the presence of persons onpremises is to detect the movement of structures such as doors andwindows and the like. This has been done by the use of an electricalswitch or electrical contacts connected in an alarm circuit and mountedon the structure in such a way that when the structure is moved thecircuit is interrupted and an alarm signal is sounded. Electric switchesfor this purpose are required to be durable, flexible and provide apositive contact to avoid premature alarm signals. Switches heretoforeprovided for detector purposes have utilized integral structure for boththe male and female connectors and have required different parts fordifferent mounting requirements. Previous switches have not had aneffective way of disabling the circuit when their use is not required.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved alarm detector switch as sembly for use in an alarm circuithaving interchangeable parts which provides a reliable positiveconnection between the operating contact surfaces of the connectors.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel detector switchassembly adapted for mounting on doors, windows and the like and havinginterchangeable male and female conductive connector blocks which permitthe use of the same housing for both types and with each block beingcapable of being reoriented in the housing for versatility in disposingthe connectors in different positions relative to the support structureusing the same parts.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved detectorswitch assembly for alarm circuits which is simple and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and to mount and is adapted to be disabled bythe use of a dummy connector.

In accordance with the present invention, in a preferred embodimentshown there is provided cooperating connecting members adapted to mounton independent, normally adjacent support structures with eachconnecting member including an outer housing of an electrical insulatingmaterial and formed with a pair of compartments opening through thebottom side and the compartments being sized to releasably receive apair of conductive connector blocks. The blocks are of a correspondingsize and shape, preferably cubeshaped, and the compartments have thesame shape so that the blocks are both interchangeable and reorientablein the housing compartments. A male plug projects outwardly through oneside of one housing and is removably secured to the block in thathousing. The plugs are arranged in pairs in each housing for a twowirecircuit and extend generally parallel to one another and align with jackopenings in the blocks in the other housing. Each block has aninternally threaded opening in a face of the block adjacent the plug orjack connector to receive a terminal screw which serves to secure theblock to the housing and electrically connect a circuit wire line toeach block. The female of the connecting members receives shortcircuitedplugs on a dummy connecting member to disable the effectiveness of aselected connecting member in the alarm circuit.

The foregoing objects, features and capabilities of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set of cooperating male and femaleconnecting members disposed side by side embodying features of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a mountable housing with a portion ofone side wall broken away to show the interior construction;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lines connector block removed from thehousing;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a conductive block disposedin'the housing supporting a removable banana-type plug-connector;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a connector block with a jackopening in place in the housing oriented with the jack opening inalignment with a side opening in the housing;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the connector block shown in FIG. 6 butreoriented to dispose its jack opening so as to align with the openingin the top of the housing;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation view showing the switch assembly ofFIG. I mounted on a window structure;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an extension member for use with themale and female connecting members; and

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the female connecting member having a dummyconnecting member inserted thereinto to disable its effectiveness in thealarm circuit.

Referring now to the drawings, the detector switch assembly as shown inFIG. 1 includes a set of cooperating male and female connecting membersgenerally designated 11 and 12, respectively. The connecting membersshown and described herein are arranged in with pairs of aligned maleand female connector portions described fully hereinafter for connectionin a two-wire circuit, but it is understood that the features of thepresent invention described herein are applicable to one or moreconnectors arranged for connection into a circuit having one or morewires or lines.

Each connecting member shown comprises a similar outer housing 14preferably composed of an electrical insulating material and constructedas a unitary molded structure from plastic or the like. The housing 14is formed with a pair of longitudinally spaced, inner receptacles orcompartments 15 and 16 of corresponding size and shape which openthrough the bottom of the housing. The housing 14 is formed to provide atop wall 21 together with spaced side walls 22 and 23 and spaced endwalls 24 and 25 which extend perpendicularly away from the outer edge ofthe top wall 21. A pair of longitudinally spaced divider or partitionwalls 27 and 28 are disposed between the end walls and extend awayperpendicular from the top wall to divide the housing into the twocompartments 15 and 16 which are of a corresponding size and shape.Walls 27 and 28 terminate inwardly of the bottom of the housing. Thehousing also has an inwardly diverging top opening 29 centered in andleading into each compartment and an inwardly diverging side opening 31is provided on one side wall and centered in and leading into eachcompartment. The housing is also provided with vertical mounting hole 32in each end wall with an upper counterbore portion 32a to receive afastener screw 33 shown in FIG. 8 for securing the housings to selectedsupport structure with the bottom surface of the housing bearing againstthe support structure.

' Interchangeable connector blocks generally designated 35a for thefemale type connecting member and 35b for the male type connectingmember are of a corresponding size and of a shape corresponding to thehousing compartments so that they releasably insert into any of thehousing compartments and in such a way that the selected face of theblock may be disposed relative to a selected wall of the housing. Eachconductive connector block preferably is cube-shaped with the sides orfaces thereof being of an equal dimension. The compartments l and 16,then, are also cube-shaped and sized with sufficient clearance so thatthe blocks will readily releasably insert into the compartments. Thecube-shaped arrangement of blocks and housing compartments permits eachblock to be inserted into the compartments at several positions relativeto the walls of the compartments.

The connector block 350 for use in the female connecting member 12 has asmooth-sided jack hole 36 centered in and directed inwardly from oneside and an internally threaded terminal hole 37 centered in anddirected inwardly from an adjacent side. Block 35a inserted into thehousing compartment has its holes in alignment with the openings in thehousing. A terminal screw 39 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 as extendingthrough the top opening 29 into the threaded terminal hole 37 of theblock and in this way the block is held in the housing. A pair ofwashers 41 are shown disposed between the head of the terminal screw andhousing surface. The positions of the terminal hole and jack opening forthe female connecting member 11 may be reversed or interchanged relativeto the walls of the housing by removal of the terminal screws 39, theremoval of the block 35a from the housing compartment, reorienting itrelative to the housing walls by turning it 90 and then reinserting itinto the housing compartment as shown in FIG. 7 so that the jack opening36 is up and in alignment with opening 29 and the threaded terminal hole37 is aligned with the opening 31 in the side wall and this time theterminal screw 39 is threaded through the side opening 31 of the housingand into the block 35a to hold the terminal block in place.

The block 35b for the male connecting member 11 is modified from thatfor the female connecting member 12 in that it has an inwardly directed,internally threaded holes 42 like that of terminal hole ,37 abovedescribed which receives the terminal screw 39.

The male plug member 44 which mounts on block 35b is a conventionalbanana-type construction and includes the externally threaded endportion 45 which threads into the threaded opening 42 in block 35b, anenlarged intermediate portion 46 which bears against the outer surfaceof the housing and an outwardly projecting flexible plug portion 47. Theplug portion 47 has an inner pin section 47a which fonns a narrowedcontinuation of the internal portion on which there is supported fouraxially bowed and radially flexible side sections 47b preferably made ofa spring steel to provide a friction fit with a positive spreadingaction in the hole of the cooperating block in the female member. It isunderstood that the terminal and connector holes in the block may extendonly halfway through the block or may extend all the way through theblock. In the latter case more than one jack hole and/or plug may beprovided in more than one face of the same housing.

The connecting members 11 and 12 are shown installed on a movable windowstructure in FIG. 8. Connecting member 1 l is mounted on the movablewindow 51 and connecting member 12 on the adjacent window frame 52. Theconnecting members are aligned and positioned in closely spaced adjacentrelationship so that the plugs are in a mating engagement inside thejack openings. The connecting members 11 and 12 are on the forwardsurfaces of these support structures and are secured thereto by a pairof screws 33 which fasten each of the housings to one of the twostructures and jack and plug portions in alignment with one another. Apair of wires 53 and 54 which in the alarm circuit are shown connectedby the terminal screws 39 on the female connecting member 12. A pair ofwires 55 and 56 which are also connected in the alarm circuit are shownconnected by the terminal screws 39 to the male connector member 11.Strips of conductive foil 57 and 58 are secured to the window frame 51and connect to lines 55 and 56, respectively, to facilitate theconnection of member 11 to the alarm circuit. The alarm circuit may beof the conventional foil or vibrator type in which the alarm will soundwhen the circuit is opened and in which the alarm will not sound whenthe circuit is short-circuited. When the window 51 is opened by slidingit away from the frame 52 the connectors separate to interrupt thecircuit. When the window is closed, the electric circuit is againestablished.

In those installations where the connecting members are not in a closelyspaced relation as shown in FIG. 8, an extension member generallydesignated 61 shown in FIG. 9 may be used with the connecting members.This extension member 61 includes a hex-shaped body portion 61a with anarrowed threaded portion 61b at one end which threads into a threadedhole in the connector block of the connecting member and an internallythreaded hole 61c in the other end will then receive the threaded endportion of the plug.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the female connecting member 12 is shown incombination with a dummy connector including a body or housing 62composed of an electrical insulating material and constructed as aunitary molded structure from plastic or the like having a pair of maleplug members 44 projecting outwardly from the body with the threaded endportions extending into apertures in the body and secured in place bynuts 63 threaded on the threaded end portions. A conductive shorting bar64 is held in place in a recess in the body by the nuts which serves toshort-circuit the male plugs 44. In any alarm circuit there will be morethan one connector assembly and the dummy connector is used to disable aselected connector switch assembly by providing a short-circuit which ineffect will allow the occupant to open a door or window withoutactivating the alarm. As an alternative to the arrangement of FIG. 10,the male connecting member may serve the same purpose if a shorting barwith slotted end portions is inserted between the pair of terminalscrews 39 and held in place by threading the screws tightlythereagainst.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade by way of example and that changes in details of structure may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprisingcooperating female and male connecting members, each said connectingmember ineluding an outer housing with each housing having at least oneinterchangeable, conductive connector block releasably insertedthereinto and an opening in each housing, each said block beingreorientable in the associated housing, a male plug projecting outwardlyfrom a side of the block and through the opening in one of saidhousings, an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of the block inthe other of said housings and aligned with the opening in said otherhousing, said male plug being releasably received in aligned openings insaid other housing and associated block and connected in a friction fittherewith to establish an electrical connection between said connectingmembers and separable therefrom to break the connection when one of theconnecting members is moved away from the other.

2. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a pairof connector blocks in each housing with the plugs for the male memberarranged parallel to one another and the jack openings in the femalemember arranged parallel to one another to slidably receive said pair ofplugs.

3. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outerhousing is composed of an electrical insulating material and constructedas a unitary molded structure.

4. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidhousing includes a pair of vertically directed mounting holes adjacenteach end for the mounting thereof on a support structure.

5. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each ofsaid blocks is cube-shaped with its sides being of an equal dimensionand each said housing has a cube-shaped receptacle open along one sidefor receiving the block.

6. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maleplug is a banana-type structure having a plurality of axially bowed andradially flexible side sections.

7. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said maleplug has a threaded end portion passing through a wall of the housingand threading into one face of the connector block.

8. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each saidblock has an inwardly directed, internally threaded terminal hole inanother side adapted to receive a terminal screw extending through anaperture in the housing and into the block to connect an electric wireto the connector block.

9 A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 further includingan extension member releasably connected between the block and the maleplug to compensate for additional space between said connecting members.

10. A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprisingcooperating female and male connecting members adapted to mount onindependent normally adjacent support structures, each said con nectingmember including an outer housing of an electrical insulating materialand formed with a pair of spaced multi-sided compartments openingthrough one side thereof and having a side opening in each housing foreach compartment, a pair of conductive connector blocks releasablyinserted into the compartments of each of said housings, said blocksbeing of a corresponding size and shape and of a shape corresponding tothat of the housing compartment to be interchangeable in each housingcompartment and reorientable therein, a male plug projecting outwardlythrough the side opening of one of the housings from one side of eachblock therein, said plugs extending generally parallel to one another,an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of each block in the otherof said housings, said jack openings being aligned with an associatedside opening in the associated housing and disposed parallel to oneanother and spaced apart one from another, said pair of plugs beingreceived in said jack openings and connected in a friction fit therewithto establish an electrical connection between said connecting membersand separable therefrom to break the connection when one of the supportstructures is moved away from the other.

11. In an alarm circuit, a detector switch assembly comprisingcooperating female and male connecting members (11, 12) mounted onindependent normally adjacent support structures with one of thestructures movable toward and away from the other, each said connectingmember including an outer housing (14), each said housing being composedof an electrical insulating material and constructed as a unitary moldedstructure, each said housing including a top wall (21), side walls(22,23) and end walls (24,25) and inner spaced transverse divider walls(27,28) forming a pair of spaced inner cube-shaped compartments (15,16)opening through the bottom, each said housing having a pair of verticalholes (32) adjacent each end for the mounting thereof on a supportstructure, and each said housing having a pair of apertures (29) andside openings (31), a pair of cube-shaped connector blocks (35a, 35b)releasably inserted into the compartments of each housing andreorientable therein, a bananatype plug (47) projecting outwardly from aside of each of the blocks through each side opening in one of thehousings, said plugs being disposed in a parallel relation to oneanother, an inwardly directed smooth jack hole (36) in one side of theblocks in the other of said housings, said jack holes being aligned withan associated side opening and disposed in a parallel relation to oneanother, said plugs being received in the aligned openings in said otherhousing and associated blocks and connected in a friction fit therewithto establish an electrical connection between said connecting membersand being separable to break the connection when one of the supportstructures is moved away from the other, each said block having aninwardly directed, internally threaded hole (37) in another sideadjacent the side with the male plug for the male connecting members andadjacent the side with the jack hole for the female connecting member, aterminal screw (39) extending through each aperture in each housing intoeach said internally threaded hole to connect an electric line to eachof said connector blocks.

1. A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprising cooperating female and male connecting members, each said connecting member including an outer housing with each housing having at least one interchangeable, conductive connector block releasably inserted thereinto and an opening in each housing, each said block being reorientable in the associated housing, a male plug projecting outwardly from a side of the block and through the opening in one of said housings, an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of the block in the other of said housings and aligned with the opening in said other housing, said male plug being releasably received in aligned openings in said other housing and associated block and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and separable therefrom to break the connection when one of the connecting members is moved away from the other.
 2. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a pair of connector blocks in each housing with the plugs for the male member arranged parallel to one another and the jack openings in the female member arranged parallel to one another to slidably receive said pair of plugs.
 3. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer housing is composed of an electrical insulating material and constructed as a unitary molded structure.
 4. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said housing includes a pair of vertically directed mounting holes adjacent each end for the mounting thereof on a support structure.
 5. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said blocks is cube-shaped with its sides being of an equal dimension and each said housing has a cube-shaped receptacle open along one side for receiving the block.
 6. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said male plug is a banana-type structure having a plurality of axially bowed and radially flexible side sections.
 7. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said male plug has a threaded end portion passing through a wall of the housing and threading into one face of the connector block.
 8. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said block has an inwardly directed, internally threaded terminal hole in another side adapted to receive a terminal screw extending through an aperture in the housing and into the block to connect an electric wire to the connector block.
 9. A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including an extension member releasably connected between the block and the male plug to compensate for additional space between said connecting members.
 10. A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprising cooperating female and male connecting members adapted to mount on independent normally adjacent support structures, each said connecting member including an outer housing of an electrical insulating material and formed with a pair of spaced multi-sided compartments opening through one side thereof and having a side opening in each housing for each compartment, a pair of conductive connector blocks releasably inserted into the compartments of each of said housings, said blocks being of a corresponding size and shape and of a shape corresponding to that of the housing compartment to be interchangeable in each housing compartment and reorientable therein, a male plug projecting outwardly through the side opening of one of the housings from one side of each block therein, said plugs extending generally parallel to one another, an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of each block in the other of said housings, said jack openings being aligned with an associated side opening in the associated housing and disposed parallel to one another and spaced apart one from another, said pair of plugs being received in said jack openings and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and separable therefrom to break the connection when one of the support structures is moved away from the other.
 11. In an alarm circuit, a detector switch assembly comprising cooperating female and male connecting members (11, 12) mounted on independent normally adjacent support structures with one of the structures movable toward and away from the other, each said connecting member including an outer housing (14), each said housing being composed of an electrical insulatiNg material and constructed as a unitary molded structure, each said housing including a top wall (21), side walls (22,23) and end walls (24, 25) and inner spaced transverse divider walls (27,28) forming a pair of spaced inner cube-shaped compartments (15,16) opening through the bottom, each said housing having a pair of vertical holes (32) adjacent each end for the mounting thereof on a support structure, and each said housing having a pair of apertures (29) and side openings (31), a pair of cube-shaped connector blocks (35a, 35b) releasably inserted into the compartments of each housing and reorientable therein, a banana-type plug (47) projecting outwardly from a side of each of the blocks through each side opening in one of the housings, said plugs being disposed in a parallel relation to one another, an inwardly directed smooth jack hole (36) in one side of the blocks in the other of said housings, said jack holes being aligned with an associated side opening and disposed in a parallel relation to one another, said plugs being received in the aligned openings in said other housing and associated blocks and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and being separable to break the connection when one of the support structures is moved away from the other, each said block having an inwardly directed, internally threaded hole (37) in another side adjacent the side with the male plug for the male connecting members and adjacent the side with the jack hole for the female connecting member, a terminal screw (39) extending through each aperture in each housing into each said internally threaded hole to connect an electric line to each of said connector blocks. 